Until mid-2019, podcast and SEO tips did find themselves in the same sentence because audio was not inherently searchable. But all of that changed when Google began scanning and indexing audio, making podcast content searchable for the first time. And, with that change, came the advent of podcast SEO.
Now, applying good podcast SEO is a great way to gain visibility, improve your brand awareness, and get your podcast noticed. So how do you optimize your podcast episodes for search engines (and get a higher ranking on Google)? Here are our best tips for podcast SEO.
Podcast SEO Tips
1. Research episode keywords
Your very first step towards better podcast SEO is to choose a new keyword for each podcast episode. Keywords show Google (and other search engines) that your episode is relevant to a user’s search. Of course, you can’t just pick any keyword you like out of a hat and immediately end up higher in the search results. The keywords you pick have to be ones that your target demographic is actually searching.
To find the keywords that will give you the best podcast SEO results, you have to take the time to do some keyword research. Try using a tool like Google Keyword Planner or Ubersuggest to generate keyword ideas and develop a strong podcast SEO strategy.
Pro tip: You can also use the results from your chosen keyword research tool to figure out what questions your target audience is asking, so you can answer them in your podcast episode!
2. Use the keywords in your episode
The best thing about Google’s (still relatively new) method of indexing audio content is the potential for extended podcast reach. You see, Google isn’t just returning your podcast as searchable content based off of the title or description… it’s actually “listening” to your episodes and indexing the audio content
As a result, your podcast episodes could turn up in any keyword-related search, not just in a search for podcasts. That’s why you need to make sure your keyword is spoken a handful of times throughout your episode. Just make sure you use it naturally throughout the course of the episode (rather than repeating it over and over again just to get the keyword in a ton of times). That’s known as “keyword stuffing”, and it’s a practice that Google frowns upon.
3. Optimize your episode title and description
While it’s vital to use your keyword within the episode itself, you also want to pay attention to its use in your episode’s title and description. Be sure to always feature the keyword prominently in the episode title. You should also make both your episode title and episode description as unambiguous and detailed as possible, since it increases your chances that your ideal audience will find your episode (and actually listen to it).
Pro tip: Always put your keyword as close to the beginning of your episode titles and descriptions as possible. People have notoriously short attention spans, so if they don’t see what they’re looking for right away, they might move on.
4. Create a blog post for each episode
When you give Google written content in addition to audio content, it increases the chances of your episode ranking higher in the search results. Google likes having lots of content as proof that you’re an expert on your chosen topic. So creating a blog post for every episode you release is a great way to enhance your podcast SEO.
Writing a short summary or write-up of each episode you release is helpful because it 1) adds more readable text related to your podcast episode and 2) gives your audience an idea of what to expect from your episode before they hit play. Just as you would with any other blog post, try to include your keyword organically and focus on placing it in the most important sections of your post (as far as Google is concerned): the title of your post, the title of the podcast episode, any subheadings, and the URL.
Duplikit is a great service that will convert your podcast episode into a blog post and may be worth checking out to save you time!
5. Promote your episode on social media
Social media isn’t always the first thing people think of when they’re considering podcast SEO. But, the fact is, there’s a direct correlation between engagement on social media and search rankings.
In the same way that Google likes to see various pieces of content that establish you as an expert, Google also likes to see social proof. So, essentially, the more that your audience engages with your podcast episode on social media, the more reputable you become with search engines.
Of course, it’s not always easy to promote content that’s purely audio on social media (a place that’s primarily focused on the visual). That’s why we created Wavve. Wavve gives you the power to leverage your podcast’s audio content to create engaging animated videos that are perfect for social sharing.
Use your animated podcast video as a teaser for your episode, then include your podcast link within the post to funnel people to your full episode. Those extra views will only help to boost your Podcast’s SEO.
Are you ready to optimize your podcast SEO?
What podcast SEO tips have helped you improve your show the most? Don’t forget to use Wavve to promote your podcast on social media. You can even create your very first Wavve video for free!
